Drive bracket assembly

ABSTRACT

A drive bracket assembly includes a carrying board, a drive bracket, and a latch member. The carrying board defines at least one securing slot, and a blocking member is formed on the carrying board. The drive bracket includes a bottom wall having at least one securing member engaging with the at least one securing slot of the carrying board and a side wall perpendicular to the bottom wall. A blocking tab laterally protrudes from the side wall of the drive bracket. The latch member includes a base and an elastic arm, and an angle is defined therebetween. The elastic arm resists against the blocking tab of the drive bracket to shrink the angle and force the base to abut on the carrying board and be sandwiched between the blocking member and the side wall of the drive bracket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a drive bracket assembly, particularly to a drive bracket assembly for mounting a data storage device to a computer enclosure.

2. Description of Related Art

Generally, when a computer is assembled, data storage devices, such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive (FDD), and a compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM) drive are accommodated in the drive bracket. Then, the drive bracket is mounted in a computer enclosure. Conventionally, the data storage device is generally attached to a drive bracket by bolts or rails. Then, the drive bracket with data storage devices is fixed to the computer enclosure with a plurality of screws. During assembly or disassembly, a screwdriver is needed to manipulate the screws. It is complicated and time-consuming. Furthermore, the screws are small and easy to be lost. If one of the screws is dropped and left inside the computer enclosure, serious damage may be caused.

What is needed, therefore, is a mounting apparatus conveniently securing a drive bracket to a computer enclosure and having a simple structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A drive bracket assembly includes a carrying board, a drive bracket, and a latch member. The carrying board defines at least one securing slot, and a blocking member is formed on the carrying board. The drive bracket includes a bottom wall having at least one securing member engaging with the at least one securing slot of the carrying board and a side wall perpendicular to the bottom wall. A blocking tab laterally protrudes from the side wall of the drive bracket. The latch member includes a base and an elastic arm, and an angle is defined therebetween. The elastic arm resists against the blocking tab of the drive bracket to shrink the angle and force the base to abut on the carrying board and be sandwiched between the blocking member and the side wall of the drive bracket.

Other advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of a drive bracket assembly of a preferred embodiment, including a drive bracket and a computer enclosure;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, isometric view of the latch member of FIG. 1, but viewed from another aspect;

FIG. 3 is an assembled view of the drive bracket assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3, but viewed from another aspect; and

FIG. 5 is an assembled view of FIG. 1 when the drive bracket is disengaged from the computer enclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a drive bracket assembly used for securing a data storage device includes a computer enclosure 10, a drive bracket 30 slidably mounted in the computer enclosure 10 for accommodating the data storage device, and a latch member 50 pivotably attached to the drive bracket 30 for securing the drive bracket 30 in the computer enclosure 10.

The computer enclosure 10 includes a bottom wall 11 and a side wall 12 perpendicular thereto. A rectangular carrying board 13 protrudes up from the bottom wall 11 with a plurality of securing slots 130 defined therein. Each securing slot 130 has a wide mounting portion 131 and a narrow securing portion 132. An L-shaped blocking member 133 is formed on a short side of the carrying board 13. A limiting tab 135 is formed on the carrying board 13 and aligned with the blocking member 133. A pair of limiting tabs 137 is formed on the bottom wall 11 of the computer enclosure 10 adjacent to a long side of the carrying board 13, for helping the drive bracket 30 slide on the carrying board 13 smoothly.

The drive bracket 30 includes a bottom wall 31 and a side wall 33 perpendicular to the bottom wall 31. A plurality of securing members 310 is formed on the bottom wall 31 of the drive bracket 30 for engaging with the securing slots 130. Each securing member 310 includes a pair of opposite narrow arms 311 respectively extends down from the bottom wall 31 and a wide securing portion 312 connected between the arms 311. An arcute guiding slot 331 is defined in the side wall 33. The guiding slot 331 compries a wide entrance and a narrow arcute sliding portion. A circular protrusion 332 with a calabash-shaped pivot hole 335 defined therein is formed on the side wall 33. The pivot center of the pivot hole 335 is concentric with the pivot center of the arcute sliding portion. An elastic stop member 336 is formed between the guiding slot 331 and the pivot portion 332. An L-shaped blocking tab 337 extends from a top edge of the side wall 33 over the stop member 336.

Referring also to FIG. 2, the latch member 50 includes a base body which includes a horizontal portion 51 and a slanted portion 53 extending up from an end of the horizontal portion 51. A circular pivot portion 55 is formed at another end of the horizontal portion 51. A circular recess 551 is defined in the pivot portion 55 with a calabash-shaped pivot member 553 protruding from a center thereof. The pivot member 553 has a securing head 556 which is thinner than the other portion of the pivot member 553 such that the securing head 556 is extendable through the pivot hole 335 to rotatably engage with an inner surface of the protrusion 332 of the drive bracket 30 when the pivot member 553 rotates in the pivot hole 335. A rectangular notch 511 is defined in the horizontal portion 51 of the latch member 50 for engaging with the blocking tab 336 of the drive bracket 30. An L-shaped sliding block 531 protrudes from an inner surface of the slanted portion 53 of the latch member 50, for extending through the L-shaped guiding slot 331 and engaging with an inner surface of the side wall 33. An elastic cantilever arm 57 extends up at an incline toward the slanted portion 53 from a top of the pivot portion 551 of the latch member 50. An angle is defined between the elastic cantilever arm 57 and the horizontal portion 51 of the base. A handle 56 extends from a top edge of the slanted portion 53 of the latch member 50. A stop block 59 protrudes laterally from a bottom edge where the horizontal portion 51 and the slanted portion 53 of the latch member 50 join.

Referring also to FIG. 3, for mounting the latch member 50 to the drive bracket 30, the pivot member 553 and the sliding block 531 of the latch member 50 respectively extend through the pivot hole 335 and the guiding slot 331 of the drive bracket 30. The elastic cantilever arm 57 of the latch member 50 is disposed under the blocking tab 337. The handle 56 is pulled up to drive the latch member 50 to rotate up. The latch member 50 slides up with the horizontal portion 51 thereof depressing the elastic stop member 336 until an upper edge of the notch 511 engages with the free end of the elastic stop member 336, thereby preventing the latch member 50 from dropping down. At this point, the latch member 50 is retained by the elastic stop member 336, and the elastic cantilever arm 57 is in an initial state. The sliding block 531 of the pivot member 55 is moved away from the wide entrance of the slot 331 into the narrow sliding portion of the slot 331 and the securing head 556 of the pivot member 55 is moved offset from the slot 335. Thus, the sliding block 531 and the securing head 553 engage with the side wall 33 of the drive bracket 30 in a direction perpendicular to the side wall 53, thereby preventing the sliding block 531 and the securing head 553 of the pivot member 55 disengaging from the guiding slot 331 and the pivot hole 335 of the drive bracket 30 respectively.

Referring also to FIGS. 3-5, in assembly, the securing portions 312 of the securing members 310 on the drive bracket 30 are aligned with the wide mounting portions 131 of the securing slots 130 in the carrying board 13. The stop block 59 of the latch member 50 abuts on the blocking member 133 of the carrying board 13, as shown in FIG. 5. The elastic cantilevel arm 57 of the latch member 50 resists against the blocking tab 337 of the bracket and is distorted by the resistance. The angle between the elastic arm 57 and the horizontal portion 51 of the base becomes smaller. Then, the drive bracket 30 with the latch member 50 mounted thereto is pushed horizontally along the pair of limiting members 137. One of the securing portions 312 of each securing member 310 engages in the corresponding narrow securing portion 132 of the corresponding securing slot 130. The securing portions 312 of the securing members 310 slide below the carrying board 13 and are blocked thereby, for limiting a movement of the drive bracket 30 in a vertical direction away from the carrying board 13. The stop block 59 of the latch member 50 drops down from a top plane of the blocking member 133 and is sandwiched between the blocking member 133 and the side wall 33 of the bracket, as shown in FIG. 3. The elastic cantilever arm 57 of the latch member 50 rebounds back to force the stop block 59 to abut on the carrying board 13. Thus, the movement of the drive bracket 30 in a horizontal direction parallel to the carrying board 13 is limited. The bracket 30 is secured in the computer enclosure 10.

In disassembly, the handle 56 of the latch member 50 is pulled up, the elastic cantilever arm 57 is distorted by the blocking tab 337 of the drive bracket 30. The angle between the elastic cantilever arm 57 and the horizontal portion 51 of the latch member 50 becomes smaller. The base body of the latch member 50 rotates up about the pivot member 553. When the stop block 59 of the latch member 50 raises to a position higher than the top plane of the blocking member 133 of the carrying board 13, the bracket 30 is pulled horizontally out along the pair of limiting tabs 137, and the securing portions 312 of the securing members 310 disengage from the securing slots 130. The side wall 33 of the drive bracket 30 is blocked by the limiting tab 135 on the carrying board 13, for preventing further movement of the drive bracket 30. Thus, the drive bracket 30 is disengaged from the carrying board 13 of the computer enclosure 10.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. A drive bracket assembly, comprising: a carrying board defining at least one securing slot, a blocking member formed on the carrying board; a drive bracket mounted on the carrying board configured for accommodating a data storage device, the drive bracket comprising a bottom wall having at least one securing member engaging with the at least one securing slot of the carrying board and a side wall perpendicular to the bottom wall, a blocking tab laterally protruding from the side wall; and a latch member pivotally mounted to the bracket, the latch member comprising a base and an elastic arm extending from the base, an angle defined between the base and the elastic arm, the elastic arm resisting against the blocking tab of the drive bracket to shrink the angle and force the base to abut on the carrying board and be sandwiched between the blocking member and the side wall of the drive bracket.
 2. The drive bracket assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the base of the latch member comprises a horizontal portion and a slanted portion extending up from one end of the horizontal portion, a handle extends laterally from a top edge of the slanted portion in a direction away from the side wall.
 3. The drive bracket assembly as described in claim 2, wherein a stop block protrudes laterally from a bottom edge of the base at a joint of the horizontal portion and the slanted portion in the direction away from the side wall.
 4. The drive bracket assembly as described in claim 2, wherein a pivot hole is defined in the side wall of the bracket, and a pivot member for pivotably engaging in the pivot hole is formed on the other end of the horizontal portion of the base.
 5. The drive bracket assembly as described in claim 4, wherein a circular protrusion is formed on the side wall of the drive bracket, and the pivot hole is defined therein.
 6. The drive bracket assembly as described in claim 5, wherein a pivot portion with a circular recess defined therein is formed at another end of the horizontal portion of the base, and the pivot member protrudes from a center thereof.
 7. The drive bracket assembly as described in claim 2, wherein the elastic arm extends up at an incline toward the slanted portion of the base from a top edge of the pivot portion.
 8. The drive bracket assembly as described in claim 4, wherein the pivot hole and the pivot member are both calabash-shaped, and the pivot member comprises a securing head extending through the pivot hole to slidably engaging with the inner surface of the side wall of the drive bracket.
 9. The drive bracket assembly as described in claim 2, wherein a recess is defined in a surface of the horizontal portion of the base facing the drive bracket, an elastic stop member protrudes from the side wall of the drive bracket with a free end thereof abutting against a top edge of the recess, for preventing the latch member dropping down to thereby keep the elastic arm resisting against the blocking tab of the drive bracket.
 10. The drive bracket assembly as described in claim 4, wherein an arcute guiding slot with a wide entrance and a narrow arcute guiding portion is defined in the side wall of the drive bracket, the pivot center of the pivot hole is concentric with the pivot center of the arcute sliding portion, and an L-shaped sliding block protrudes from a surface of the slanted portion of the base facing the drive bracket, for extending through the guiding slot to slidably engage with an inner surface of the side wall of the drive bracket.
 11. A drive bracket assembly, comprising: a computer enclosure with a bottom wall defining at least one securing slot, a blocking member formed on the bottom wall; a drive bracket slidably mounted on the bottom wall of the computer enclosure configured for accommodating a data storage device, the drive bracket comprising a bottom wall having at least one securing member engaging with the at least one securing slot of the computer enclosure and a side wall perpendicular to the bottom wall, a blocking tab extending laterally from the side wall; and a latch member resiliently resisted against the blocking tab of the drive bracket, the latch member having an end pivotally attached to the side wall of the drive bracket and a free end movable between the blocking tab and the bottom wall of the computer enclosure, the free end moving toward the bottom wall of the computer enclosure by action of a resistance of the latch member to force the latch member to abut on the bottom wall of the computer enclosure and be blocked by the blocking member thereof, thereby forcing the securing member of the drive bracket to engage in the securing slot and preventing the drive bracket from retracting back therefrom.
 12. The drive bracket assembly as described in claim 11, wherein the latch member comprises a base having a horizontal portion and a slanted portion extending up from one end of the horizontal portion, an elastic arm extending up at an incline toward the slanted portion from another end of the horizontal portion of the base and resisting against the blocking tab of the drive bracket.
 13. The drive bracket assembly as described in claim 12, wherein a stop block protrudes laterally from a bottom edge at the joint of the horizontal portion and the slanted portion of the latch member, and the stop block is sandwiched between the blocking member and the side wall of the drive bracket.
 14. The drive bracket assembly as described in claim 12, wherein a pivot hole is defined in the side wall of the bracket, and a pivot member for pivotably engaging in the pivot hole is formed on the other end of the horizontal portion of the base.
 15. The drive bracket assembly as described in claim 14, wherein the pivot hole and the pivot member are both calabash-shaped, and the pivot member comprises a securing head extending through the pivot hole to slidably engaging with an inner surface of the side wall of the drive bracket.
 16. The drive bracket assembly as described in claim 11, wherein a recess is defined in a surface of the horizontal portion of the base facing the drive bracket, an elastic stop member protrudes from the side wall of the drive bracket with a free end thereof abutting against a top edge of the recess, for preventing the latch member dropping down to thereby keep the elastic arm resisting against the blocking tab of the drive bracket.
 17. The drive bracket assembly as described in claim 11, wherein a pair of limiting tabs aligned in a direction along which the drive bracket slides protrudes up from the bottom wall of the computer enclosure, for helping smooth movement of the drive bracket on the bottom wall.
 18. A drive bracket assembly comprising: a computer enclosure with a bottom wall defining at least one securing slot, a blocking member formed on the bottom wall; a drive bracket slidably mounted on the bottom wall of the computer enclosure configured for accommodating a data storage device therein, the drive bracket comprising a bottom wall having at least one securing member slidably engaging with the at least one securing slot in such a manner that the at least one securing member is movable relative to the at least one securing slot in a first direction parallel to the bottom wall of the bracket and unmovable in a second direction perpendicular to the bottom wall of the bracket, and a side wall perpendicular to the bottom wall of the bracket, a blocking structure extending laterally from the side wall, a sliding slot being defined in the side wall; and a latch member comprising a pivot portion adjacent to one end thereof pivotably attached to the side wall of the bracket, a sliding block adjacent to an opposite end thereof extending through the sliding slot and being slidable in the sliding slot when the latch member is pivoted about the pivot portion, an elastic cantilever arm extending therefrom and abutting against the blocking structure in the second direction, and a stop block sandwiched between the side wall and the blocking member in the first direction for preventing the at least one securing member disengaging from the at least one securing slot.
 19. The drive bracket assembly as described in claim 18, wherein the side wall defines a calabash-shaped pivot hole, the sliding slot comprises a wide entrance for allowing the sliding block entering into the sliding slot and an arcuate narrow sliding portion, the pivot center of the pivot hole is concentric with the pivot center of the arcute sliding portion, wherein the pivot portion is calabash-shaped and extendable through the pivot hole and engages with the side wall in the first direction when the sliding block slides into the narrow sliding portion.
 20. The drive bracket assembly as described in claim 19, wherein a notch is defined in the latch member between the pivot portion and the sliding block, and a blocking tab extending outwardly and upwardly from the side wall for engaging with the notch of the drive bracket to prevent the sliding block from moving back into the wide entrance. 